Southampton's e-scooter hire scheme trial begins

A trial hire scheme for e-scooters has started in Southampton.

Fifty of the electric-powered scooters will now be available to rent from five docking stations across the city between 06:00 and 22:00.

They can be hired via a subscription service or on a pay-as-you-go basis at a cost of £1 to unlock a scooter and then 14p per minute of usage.

Southampton City Council said the trial would help support the authority's plans to tackle climate change.

The scooters, supplied by Voi Scooters, cannot exceed 10mph and riders must be at least 18 and hold a provisional or full driving licence, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The devices will also slow to a stop when a user travels outside of the operational zone, which is the area between Guildhall Square, Wessex Lane and the University of Southampton.

NHS and emergency workers will able to use the scooters for free until the end of the coronavirus lockdown and there will be discounts for students and those on low incomes.

The scooters can be booked via a smartphone app that can be downloaded for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play.

Steve Leggett, the councillor in charge of environmental issues at Southampton City Council, said the trial would "keep the city moving as we start to emerge from the pandemic".

He added that the scooters would also support the authority's plans to "tackle climate change by offering greener and healthier alternatives to the car".

Currently, privately-owned e-scooters are banned to use in the UK anywhere except on private land.

Trials have already begun in other areas, including in Bournemouth and Poole, Oxford, Slough and on the Isle of Wight.

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